Evangelist John Chapman once remarked that the surest way to halt the conversation at a dinner party was to turn to your host and ask them: "Have you given any thought to your death recently?" People just don't want to talk about dying.
You Only Live Once! is a statement shortened to YOLO - a tag that Twitter user to justify anything at all. But a survey revealed last week that, while people are more than happy to talk about the upside of that statement, they are far more reticent to admit to the downside. After this one life, we die.
This is the theme of a campaign by the Dying Matters Coalition, set up by the National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) in 2009. This year’s theme is ‘You Only Die Once‘ – Twitter users are being asked to tweet with the #YODO hashtag during the awareness week that has just finished.... continue reading
The horror of the girls abducted in Nigeria can barely be quantified. The plight of those trafficked across the world as domestic slaves or tools for the sex industry continues each year. Individuals mysteriously disappear each month, even in the safe suburbs of the developed world, despite the best efforts of the authorities to track them down. And in the wake of such tragedy there is pain and desolation in the lives of individuals, families and communities.
If we live nearby we can help search, we can encourage those affected through visits and cards. But, for many of us, the only way to help is prayer - geographically we are in the wrong place to do anything else, except maybe sign a petition or two. But all too often words fail us. All too often we allow our busy lives to crowd out the pain of others across the world. So why not take a moment now to bring their plight to the Lord, in the [slightly adapted] words of the Psalmists...... continue reading
It's been kept shrouded in secrecy for years. There have been hints and wild rumours - whispered speculation in dark corners. And there have been those who have made wild speculations about the timing and nature of this return. It will be soon; it will never happen.
But now we know it's definitely soon. Star Wars is coming...
The new movie is about to start shooting in Pinewood Studies, in North London, and at last the details are beginning to emerge. The new movie, to be made by Disney, will feature the same trio of actors that were propelled to world fame through the original movie: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher - plus the original actors who appeared "costumed" as C3PO, R2D2 and Chewbacca - the big hairy Wookie.... continue reading
Banter and the Bible
A great time at the London Men's Convention on Saturday - the last in its current format. The theme was the resurrection of Christ, and the day started with a terrific session with Welsh whirlwind Graham Daniels. He encouraged us from the story of the disciples on the Emmaus Road by showing us how Banter led to Bible and then Belief. Same process with us as we proclaim the risen Lord - engaging in normal, ordinary, everyday conversation, can lead us to opening up the Bible with people through which the Spirit can bring about the miracle of belief.
Seminars: Greening the workplace...
Mark Green of LICC gave one of three stimulating seminars on offer - on being fruitful for Christ in the workplace. Excellent and thought-provoking session that got us thinking more about being a disciple wherever we are. Got everyone talking. Other seminars were led by Pete Woodcock and Dan Strange.
Vaughan and the future
A crackling last session in which Vaughan Roberts pointed us to the future - our resurrection hope in Jesus. Richard Coekin (pictured) finished the conference by pointing the way to the future. This was the last LMC in its current form, and the organisers are considering a different kind of event for the future. Watch this space.
A new report this week showed that “violent crime is continuing a long-term fall in England and Wales”. Data from hospital emergency departments shows a 12% fall in injuries from violent crimes, with 32,800 fewer victims than the previous year. With just one exception, violent crime has fallen every year since 2001. It’s not an isolated trend either. One expert is quoted as having said: “Violence is falling in many Western countries and we don’t know all the reasons why”.
There are a number of possible reasons. The experts link the fall in violence to declining rates of binge drinking. Disposable income has fallen as the price of alcohol has increased—and, intriguingly, the cultural attitude to alcohol among young people appears to be changing. Perhaps all those TV adverts and tedious PSHE lessons in schools spelling out the dangers of excessive drinking have proved effective.... continue reading
Dear David,
Thanks very much for putting Christianity back on the front pages of the papers by claiming, as our Prime Minister, that this is a Christian nation. I notice that you’ve been getting some flak from people who don’t think this is, or should be, a Christian country.
And the thing is, David, that they’re right.
This isn’t a Christian nation. And it never has been. There’s no such thing as a Christian state, with borders and land and law enforcement and so on. There was once a nation that collected all God’s people into one place, with civic laws and a penal code and so on. It was called Israel, and it existed until Christ came, and explained that his kingdom is not of this world, recognizes no borders, and whose only land in this world right now is the hearts and bodies of his subjects, what he called 'his church' (that's not the same thing as the Church of England, David, though part of that denomination's membership are included in it). It’s only because Christ came and turned the centrifugal force of Old Testament Israel into the centripetal force of the New Testament church that our nation has any of his people living in it at all. While Israel was to be a light to the nations, now the church is to be the light in the nations.... continue reading
Did you know that yesterday was Charlotte Brontë's 198th birthday? I didn't. But Google kindly told me when I logged in.
Did you know that today is Earth Day? Again, I didn't - but Google came to the rescue again, with an animated doodle this time. I enjoy those ones - do you? They keep me on the Google page for longer, and reinforce whichever special day it is. My favourites are the games - especially when they reinvented Pacman, a game I spent far too much time on as a student…... continue reading
At an Easter reception in Downing Street on Wednesday night, UK Prime Minister David Cameron made a bizarre claim: “Jesus invented the Big Society 2,000 years ago. I just want to see more of it”.
In case you’ve forgotten, the Big Society was one of the buzzwords of the Conservative party’s 2010 general election campaign. The policy put a renewed focus on community action, giving local governments more power, supporting community groups and encouraging volunteering. The aim was to create a “Big Society” that takes power from the hands of politicians into the hands of people.
So did Jesus invent the Big Society?... continue reading
This week, 5 members of The Good Book family have been enjoying Together for the Gospel - a biennial conference for pastors and Church leaders in the US. What have they enjoyed most? Here's what they are rejoicing in as they begin their journeys home ...
Tim: Meeting fantastic and enthusiastic American Christians who are eager to reach out with the gospel in a wide range of circumstances.
James: Hearing about the impact that our resources are having all over the USA and beyond.
Brad: Seeing Sam Allberry (author of Is God Anti-Gay) on the Q+A panel with Al Mohler and Russell D. Moore, talking about how to engage with the people and the biblical debates surrounding homosexuality in our churches and society today.
Abi: To see people excited about our resources and seeing fruit from using our resources in their churches.
Carl: Having meetings with some great future authors (watch this space) about some really helpful gospel-centred future books (watch this space again). Also, bacon and maple syrup for breakfast!
